"Jeremy Corbyn is never going to be Prime Minister. He can't lead his own party, let alone our country. The more people see him, the less they want to vote for him.

"That is not just my view. It is the view of the 172 Labour MPs who just last year said they had no confidence in his leadership.

"That's why senior Labour figures such as Bob Marshall-Andrews are defecting to the Liberal Democrats.

"Jeremy Corbyn's Labour has waved the white flag on Brexit, is failing as an opposition and has given Theresa May a blank cheque to pursue a divisive Hard Brexit. They are hopelessly divided, have no plan for the economy and are clearly unfit for government.

"This is your chance to change the direction of our country. If you want to avoid a disastrous Hard Brexit, if you want to keep Britain in the Single Market, if you want Britain to have a decent opposition - vote Liberal Democrat.

"The Liberal Democrats are the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit Government and the only party fighting for a Britain that is open, tolerant and united."